Thursday, July 24, 2008
Spain- Day 6
Day 6
We started the day by souvenir hunting in downtown Catral in one of the little 'Todo' shops (Todo means 'all', and these shops really do sell everything). We met Suki near the school and he followed us around the town and into every shop we went in!
Downtown Catral
In the afternoon, I strapped on the rucksack, added June's two 1 kilo weights for good measure, and set off for a walk. I took the back road out of Catral, which twisted and turned its way towards the back streets of the next town, Dolores.
Cactus
It was hot- around 35 degrees today, but I decided to walk rather than run, and although I tried to keep a good pace, I wasn't sweating too badly. Well, not quite as much as I was when I ran.
Arriving In Dolores 
Casica
We started the day by souvenir hunting in downtown Catral in one of the little 'Todo' shops (Todo means 'all', and these shops really do sell everything). We met Suki near the school and he followed us around the town and into every shop we went in!
Downtown CatralIn the afternoon, I strapped on the rucksack, added June's two 1 kilo weights for good measure, and set off for a walk. I took the back road out of Catral, which twisted and turned its way towards the back streets of the next town, Dolores.
CactusIt was hot- around 35 degrees today, but I decided to walk rather than run, and although I tried to keep a good pace, I wasn't sweating too badly. Well, not quite as much as I was when I ran.
Arriving In DoloresThere was supposed to be a shop in Dolores selling the toe socks, but could I find it!! After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing I gave up, and walked along the road towards Almoradi until I ran out of pavement. I decided not to continue as the road was really busy and I am not ready to shuffle off this mortal coil just yet. Instead I headed back to the main square in Dolores (which apparently means 'pain' in Spanish!?!) for a drink and a loo stop. I had had concerns about my ability to ask for a.) the loo and b.) a diet coke, but when I finally chose a bar and plucked up the courage to go in, the barmaid turned out to be as British as I am!
I took my drink outside, and when I got up to go, two Spanish blokes at the next table started talking to me. Of course, I couldn't understand what they said, so grinned at them, pointed at my rucksack and mimed running. We had a good laugh even though we couldn't actually understand each other!
I headed back to Catral on a cycle path next to the road, walked around the town, and out to Casica again for a bit of extra mileage.
CasicaIt was cloudier now, but very humid. I was out for around 3 1/4 hours, and probably covered around 8- 9 miles without any problems, with a pack weighing around 3.5kg. I was testing tutti fruttis today and they passed with flying colours!
Spain- Days 4 & 5
Day 4
Saturday was quite a lazy day- we hit the shops!! Did do quite a lot of walking around the large shopping centre in Torrevieja, and I did buy a Cookies 'n' Cream Powerbar from a sports shop to try, so that's ok then!
Oh yes, and I had an absolutely gorgeous white hot chocolate drink- it was just like drinking melted chocolate!
I did give a nod towards the training though, as I set off for a 1 1/2 hour run in the afternoon. I ran down the back roads around Catral, past tumbledown houses and more compounds with large, angry dogs. It was still hot, and I still sweated loads but made sure I kept drinking. I had forgotten to take a cap but managed to pick up a baseball cap on the first day for 2 euros- shame it is a nice lurid orange colour.
Day 5
Dad drove us through San Isidro and up into the Crevillente mountains. I kept hoping my ears might pop, but sadly they didn't... we stopped at a view point to take some pictures;
The Crevillente Mountains
The mountains are a kind of beige colour, dotted with small scrubby bushes, and look very crumbly- as though you might set off an avalanche of stones with every step. But people do walk in them apparently, and I would love to do so one day. They always look so inviting from Catral.
We drove right over the mountains on a switchback road- Dad said that a lorry driver lost it on a bend a short while ago, but was just able to get out and clear before the truck crashed through the road barrier and down the ravine which was amazingly lucky.
After lunch, we drove out to a reservoir, nestling in the foothills. It was quite a large stretch of water, and an amazing turquoise colour totally unlike the reservoirs we have here in the UK.
Reservoir
Afterwards, we went to a castle for a drink... sadly it wasn't an ancient 'conquistador' type crumbling castle but a spanking new modern one, being constructed as a conference hall. There were two adult donkeys in an enclosure nearby and two cute baby donkeys- I couldn't resist getting a photo!
Saturday was quite a lazy day- we hit the shops!! Did do quite a lot of walking around the large shopping centre in Torrevieja, and I did buy a Cookies 'n' Cream Powerbar from a sports shop to try, so that's ok then!
Oh yes, and I had an absolutely gorgeous white hot chocolate drink- it was just like drinking melted chocolate!
I did give a nod towards the training though, as I set off for a 1 1/2 hour run in the afternoon. I ran down the back roads around Catral, past tumbledown houses and more compounds with large, angry dogs. It was still hot, and I still sweated loads but made sure I kept drinking. I had forgotten to take a cap but managed to pick up a baseball cap on the first day for 2 euros- shame it is a nice lurid orange colour.
Day 5
Dad drove us through San Isidro and up into the Crevillente mountains. I kept hoping my ears might pop, but sadly they didn't... we stopped at a view point to take some pictures;
The Crevillente MountainsThe mountains are a kind of beige colour, dotted with small scrubby bushes, and look very crumbly- as though you might set off an avalanche of stones with every step. But people do walk in them apparently, and I would love to do so one day. They always look so inviting from Catral.
We drove right over the mountains on a switchback road- Dad said that a lorry driver lost it on a bend a short while ago, but was just able to get out and clear before the truck crashed through the road barrier and down the ravine which was amazingly lucky.
After lunch, we drove out to a reservoir, nestling in the foothills. It was quite a large stretch of water, and an amazing turquoise colour totally unlike the reservoirs we have here in the UK.
Reservoir Afterwards, we went to a castle for a drink... sadly it wasn't an ancient 'conquistador' type crumbling castle but a spanking new modern one, being constructed as a conference hall. There were two adult donkeys in an enclosure nearby and two cute baby donkeys- I couldn't resist getting a photo!
When we got back, I donned the rucksack and headed out for a walk along the roads around Catral for around an hour and a half, getting slightly lost. We went out for dinner in the evening, so I felt entitled to my jam sponge and custard! (Not very Spanish...)
Labels: Catral, Mountains, Spain
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Spain- Day 3
Day 3
The others decided to take wind breaks etc and stay on the beach for the morning, but that's really not my thing, so I opted out to do a spot of heat training instead... Dad drew me a rough map of a 16k route they cycle and I filled my small rucksack. As I headed out of Catral, I decided it wasn't quite heavy enough, so stopped to add three biggish stones. I guess it must have weighed around 2.5kg.
Heading Out Of Catral
I took the road out of Catral, walking on the left to face oncoming traffic, up to the small hamlet of Casicas; there wasn't much there apart from a few houses with tiled fronts, cacti and assorted dogs. The Spanish natives were sitting relaxing in the shade and I got a few strange looks as I jogged past- only mad dogs and English women...
The Road To Casicas
The others decided to take wind breaks etc and stay on the beach for the morning, but that's really not my thing, so I opted out to do a spot of heat training instead... Dad drew me a rough map of a 16k route they cycle and I filled my small rucksack. As I headed out of Catral, I decided it wasn't quite heavy enough, so stopped to add three biggish stones. I guess it must have weighed around 2.5kg.
Heading Out Of CatralI took the road out of Catral, walking on the left to face oncoming traffic, up to the small hamlet of Casicas; there wasn't much there apart from a few houses with tiled fronts, cacti and assorted dogs. The Spanish natives were sitting relaxing in the shade and I got a few strange looks as I jogged past- only mad dogs and English women...
The Road To CasicasIt was hot- up in the 30's- but I was slightly disappointed to experience a slight breeze which often kept the worst of the heat off; I'd quite like to have experienced the full force of it for a more authentic Saharan experience. I decided to run slowly and cultivate my Sahara Shuffle! Before long I was dripping with sweat, which kept running into my eyes and stinging like b*ggery- maybe I need a sweat band!!
Rustic House
Crevillente Mountains 
San Fellipe Neri Church
Rustic HouseI followed a track running parallel to the motorway before crossing over in on a bridge and following the other side. I ran past a scrapyard (nice!) and along the way passed several compounds with large, angry dogs barking at me, I was so glad they couldn't actually get out... had a few near misses with Spanish HGV drivers too...
I stopped at the outskirts of the village of Realengro to check on the condition of the chocolate I was testing today- peanut M & M's and Freddie Frog Dairy Milk. The M & M's were in excellent shape, and the Freddie Frog had become totally liquid as I guessed it would- the real test would be if it solidified satisfactorily later.
I plugged in my MP3 and carried on down the dusty road, sweating lots, with the view of the mountains below;
Crevillente MountainsAs I came into the small village of San Fillipe Neri, I saw a sign pointing to a track, saying 'Nature Reserve', so thought it may be worth a look see- only trouble was, there were two tracks running parallel, each side of a wide irrigation ditch, and I wasn't sure which track actually led to the Reserve... I decided on the left side track, so followed it some distance, only to see the entrance to the Reserve on the right hand track! There was no way of crossing the ditch, but I thought if I kept going, there may be a bridge or something. There wasn't- just a locked gate barring the track, so I had to retrace my steps and follow the right hand track.
There was a visitor's centre, with a sign outside promising toilets and drinks. I pushed the door open and walked in... it was empty, except for a few displays in Spanish about plants and birds, and my footsteps echoed as I stomped around looking for a loo. A lady emerged and asked me something in Spanish, and as the word for toilet had escaped me, I said, hopefully, "Toilette?" She answered in English that there were toilets outside, and I decided to ask whether there was the possibility of purchasing a cold beverage. All that came out was "Agua?"
She replied that there were no drinks available to the public yet, but added "I have some water I can give you" and fetched me a plastic beaker full of ice cold water from a water cooler. As I gratefully sipped, she fetched me a leaflet about the reserve (in English!) God knows what she thought of this mad English woman carrying a rucksack and dripping all over the floor! After I visited the loos I walked around the reserve on a trail constructed from less than stable board walks.
Suitably refreshed and educated, I retraced my steps and jogged through the village, past the church;
San Fellipe Neri ChurchThe water in my drinking bottles had become very hot by now, and rather unpalatable, but I figured it was good practice for drinking in the desert! The SIS Isotonic drink was still ok, but quite sweet so I may try diluting it more in future.
When I reached Catral I walked round the village back to Dad's. Although it had been really hot, and I'd sweated loads, I had been out for around 3 1/2 hours, covered around 12 miles and didn't feel too bad at all, which is encouraging!
I went in the pool afterwards and swam quite a few lengths- unfortunately I haven't been able to hear properly out of my left ear since!! And the Freddie Frog never did solidify effectively- it just crumbled to bits and tasted funny, so- peanut M & M's- yes, Freddie Frog Dairy Milk- no.
